Avalanche coach Jared Bednar rips officiating in Game 5 against Stars

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar has not been shy about his displeasure with the officiating in Game 5 of his team’s first round series against the Dallas Stars.

After a Monday night game that saw 66 penalty minutes across both teams (32 for Dallas and 34 for Colorado), Bednar detailed his frustrations in his weekly radio appearance on Denver’s Altitude Sports Radio.

“I just think if you’re going to let them play and you’re going to let them battle the way that the battles have been going, then let them do that. You can’t have the guys guessing about what’s a penalty and what’s not and that was my frustration with last game,” Bednar said Wednesday.

“I didn’t like the way it was officiated. I think if you’re going to play strong and tough then you got to play strong and tough on both sides of it and let us play. If you’re setting a high standard when it comes to penalties, then make it consistent from the drop of the puck. You can’t just wait until the game’s half over and then start calling them. It’s too late at that point because players have already kind of figured out your standard and what you’re going to call and and what they can get away with and they just want it to be fair, an even playing field on both sides,” he continued.

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The comments came after Bednar called out the officiating in his post-game presser after Game 5. He particularly questioned an elbowing penalty called against Sam Malinski late in the second period. The penalty came shortly after the Avs cut the Stars’ lead to 3-2. Wyatt Johnston scored his second goal of the day on the ensuing power play.

“It’s a tough call when you’re looking at some of the physicality that’s going on at and away from the puck,” Bednar said on Monday.

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